


Once

by dancingpenss



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dialogue-Only, Gen, Noncanonical Conversation, Slightly OOC???, Spoilers for Episode: s02e13 The Last Dragonlord, Spoilers for Episode: so4e03 The Wicked Day, Talking About Dead Fathers, offscreen death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-13 02:09:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9101677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancingpenss/pseuds/dancingpenss
Summary: "I had a father too. Once." / After Uther's death, Merlin talks to Arthur.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Teeny-tiny twoshot posted a few years ago on FFN that I sort of forgot about. Hope you enjoy!

"I'm sorry. I wish there was something…"

"It wasn't your fault. Nothing you could have done."

"If you want to talk about it…"

"No, Merlin. Just…leave me in peace."

"I'm just saying, I understand—"

"You couldn't possibly understand!"

"…I suppose you're right…"

"Of course I am. Now leave."

"…but I had a father, too. Once. He died. And, I mean, you're lucky, Arthur, to at least have known yours. Your father, I mean."

"And you didn't know yours?"

"No. No, not really. He died the day after I met him."

"I'm sorry."

"Nothing you could have done, Arthur. But, I do understand. Maybe not completely. But I do. And…you are _so_ lucky."

"Merlin…one thing, before you go?"

"Yeah?"

"What was his name?"

"…Balinor. His name was Balinor."

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuing....

"…Merlin…?"

"Merlin?"

"Merlin, I swear, if you actually walk out that door…!"

" _Merlin_!"

"…what, Arthur?"

" _Why_?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?!"

"Tell you _what_?"

"You know perfectly well what!"

"What do you mean?"

"Merlin!"

"Oh, and what was I supposed to say? 'By the way, Arthur, that dragonlord we're finding? He's my dear old dad who I've never met in the first place. Now you can clap me in irons and we can go skipping off into the sunset!' Yeah, sure. Lots of incentive there."

"…you could have. Don't you trust me?"

"Yes. Yes, of course. But maybe then I didn't. Arthur, you have to understand. I had no way of knowing whether you would run me through or keep it a secret. I just…I didn't think you could ever understand."

"What is there to understand?"

"I had never met him, Arthur. He didn't even know that my mother was expecting a child. Uther drove him out of the kingdom for using magic. Gaius told me right before we left. We met him one day, he died for me the next. I never got a real chance to know him. And…well, I didn't think you'd really care."

"Merlin…."

"D'you remember what you said, Arthur? When he died? Do you remember exactly?"

"I…I can't say that I do."

" 'No man is worth your tears.' That is what you said."

"And he was your father. Gods. Merlin, if I had known…"

"But you didn't, and I didn't tell you. Balinor chose to die for me. Just as your father chose to die for you. There was nothing that you could have done for him, just as…as I could not save Uther."

"You _are_ right. I couldn't have. Still, would that I had known, if only to save you a bit of grief."

"Thank you, Arthur. It does mean a lot."

"You are welcome, Merlin."

"…Arthur? One thing, before I go?"

"Yeah?"

"I think, maybe, if things had been different, if they hadn't been enemies, and if they were still alive…I think our fathers would have been proud, Arthur."

"Me too, Merlin. Me too."

 


End file.
